CBS Sunday Morning- HR Style

One thing I can count on is that Sunday morning at my house will be quiet.  At least, that is, early in the morning. Long before the kids are up and getting ready for church, I am sitting down with my first cup of joe of the day.  I flip to the same show each week, CBS Sunday Morning.  It’s one of those shows that is as predictable as the ages, but there is something comforting in that.  I like that the format is a “news magazine” and they give me quick little stories on a wide array of topics.  A couple weeks ago, they ran stories on the new movie ‘Precious‘, one on the remaining “Brothers Gibb“, a blind man who adopted a blind child, and one on zombies.  As you can see, it was a very diverse morning.

In the spirit of CBS Sunday Morning, I want to share a few “quick hit HR/business stories” that caught my attention this week.

• 10 Things Not to Say When Firing an Employee:  I usually don’t read these type of “top ten” lists, however, this one got my attention.  Since we are in a deep recession, it’s fair to say that a majority of HR pros have been laying off employees in the last year.  This is one task that no matter how many times you do, you will never be good at it.  This article gets at the heart of layoffs.  The first cut are those with less than acceptable performance.  But as more cuts come, those decisions become harder.  What can you avoid saying to keep you, and your company out of trouble.  Read this article to find out.
• McDonald’s employee talent content on FaceBook, YouTube:  USAToday.com announced that McDonald’s has launched their 3rd annual talent competition that features their employees as the contestants.  Top prize is $25,000 in this singing competition that is similar to American Idol.  Customers are able to go online and vote for their favorite employee.  What I find interesting about this is not the fact that McDonald’s is promoting a singing competition.  I think it is wonderful when a company can showcase and celebrate the skills of their employees, even when it does not directly affect the employee’s performance at work. How many of your employees have skills that put them clearly head-and-shoulders above the rest, and how many times are you looking the other way.  Great job McDonald’s.
• Worker’s May Jump Ship as the Economy Improves: BusinessWeek ran this article and it caught my attention because when I read the title, in my head I said “duh”!  But it’s too easy to see a headline like that and dismiss it, so I dug deeper.  This article really hones in on the importance of employee engagement.  I am a personal proponent of measuring employee engagement to determine the likelihood that the employee will stay with the company.  And, when engagement slips, the company can address the reasons and make fast improvements.  Here is where many companies fall down.  They are not worrying about engagement until it is too late and they begin losing their best employees.  Great read for  anyone interested in learning how to improve their company’s Employment Value Proposition.
• Barenaked Ladies “For You“:  Every Sunday morning episode has some fun element so I’m including a video of Ed and Kevin from the band Barenaked Ladies singing an acoustic version of their song ‘For You’.  Hope you enjoy.  Barenaked Ladies “For You” from YouTube